Vikatoria Tuivanualevu, President of the Naweni Women’s Group, speaks out and claims women’s participation and representation in leadership positions from the community to the national level. She is also part of the Savusavu network on behalf of rural women in her community in Naweni Village and Soqosoqo Vakamarama Taukei for the Cakaudrove province. Tuivanualevu shares her experiences after Tropical Cyclone Winston with Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Executive Producer-Director of femLINKpacific, an organization that tries to fill the gap in access to information in affected communities. She tells how her community is still struggling a year later to recover from the disaster; they appreciate the Women’s Weather Watch project, which helps inform them about weather and climate change, enabling better preparation when facing other disasters. Tuivanualevu believes women are essential for dealing with climate change disasters and building resilience; she argues how important it is to include their voices in decision-making processes. Photo credit: femLINKpacific
